What You Really Need to Know AboutYour Partner Before You Commitby www.SixWise.com

Experts predict that at least four out of five women in today's
generation will eventually get married. And, according to
the National Marriage Project, more than 90 percent of women
from every generation in the records have ended up walking
down the aisle. Meanwhile, Americans spend over $50 billion
a year on weddings alone.

Thinking of taking your relationship to the next level?
Don't walk down the aisle until you've found out everything
on the list below.

Marriage is, indeed, still a mainstay of American culture,
and something that most couples think about sooner or later.
But before you take the leap toward a lifetime commitment,
there are things that every man and woman should be sure they
know about their significant other.

Jumping in too quickly, after all, is a good way to set yourself
up for some potentially
unpleasant surprises later on -- surprises that could
cause your relationship to end up in divorce (as 50 percent
of all marriages in which the brides are 25 or older do, according
to the National Center for Health Statistics).

So if you see a commitment coming in your near future, take
a minute to ask yourself how well you really know your partner
first. Knowing the following information now is critical to
building an open and happy relationship in the years to come.

Beliefs and Values

Do you and your partner share a religion? If not, do
you accept and support each other's spiritual beliefs?

Do you value similar things? (For instance, will you
eat
meals together? How often will you have friends over?)

Does your partner engage in activities you don't like
(such as smoking) or vice versa?

Are you and your partner on the same page when it comes
to sex? (How often? Can you talk openly about it? Are
you both satisfied?)

Do you and your partner have similar expectations about
how you'll spend your free time? With friends? Together?
What about "alone time"?

Are you aware of your partner's hobbies and passions?
Do you understand and support them? Is he or she supportive
of yours?

Will you and your partner discuss past relationships?
If so, are you comfortable with the information it revealed?

Are you comfortable with your partner's parents? Getting
along with your in-laws is an important part of the
marital equation.

Finances and Career

What is your partner's financial situation, including
outstanding
debt, credit score, etc.? (You will eventually be
joining funds to buy a house and make other financial
decisions, so this is important.)

Are you comfortable with your partner's level of ambition
when it comes to work (is he/she overly ambitious, or
not ambitious enough)?

How many hours do you think should be devoted to work
each week? How much time will you spend together?

How will we spend our total income? What portion will
be saved? Do we agree on what to spend on (vacations,
clothing, etc.)?

Who is responsible for your finances (investing, balancing
the checkbook, paying bills, doing taxes), or will the
responsibilities be shared?

Will you both work? Is one of you responsible for more
of a share of the income? What about in 10 years?

Home and Family Life

Will you have children together? If so, how many?

Will one of you stay home and take care of the kids?

If there are step-children involved, how will they fit
in with your home life?

How will you divvy up domestic tasks? (Who will do the
cooking? The food shopping? The laundry?)

Will you buy a house? When?

Do you both envision living in the same location? Near
your families? Relocating?

Are you comfortable with your partner's family? Is he
or she comfortable with yours?

How will your in-laws fit in with your daily life? With
your children?

Do you and your partner have similar expectations when
it comes to cleanliness?